Double Trouble
by Charliee222
Summary: Matt goes against his dad's wishes and carries on hanging out with Pope. We get to see a softer side to Pope and a hidden side of Matt. Set before the season finale.


**A/N: I think this show is brilliant. This is a short story to show Pope's softer side and a more hidden side of Matt.**

"Matt, want to help me out with something?" Pope asked a now excited Matt. He knew Tom had told him to stay away from Matt but the poor kid was always at a loose end when his dad was out on a mission so what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. He was only going to get him to open some cans, he wasn't going to run into any danger doing that. If there's one trade that Pope could pass on that was worthy, it was his cooking.

"Sure I can." Said Matt jumping up and running to the door.

"Great, how are you at cooking?"

"If you show me I'll be able to do it." He said confidence brimming in his eyes.

"Follow me." Said Pope leading the way to the kitchen.

"Does this mean I'm a chef?" Asked Matt jogging to keep up with Pope's fast pace.

"A chef's assistant, but if you do well I'll promote you." Replied Pope. Matt replied with a determined smile. They entered the kitchen and went straight to the pile of cans.

"How many cans to feed two hundred people?" Asked Matt.

"Fifty cans of tuna for what I'm wanting to make," said Pope. "They need to be opened and drained. Four hands are better than two, fancy getting the boring bit over with first?"

"If we must." Said Matt jumping onto the counter and settling down next to the sink. Pope handed the first can to Matt and picked one up for himself. It was a tedious job but it would be nice to have something with a bit of flavour in tonight. They had to be careful with the food because they never knew for definite that they were going to get anymore.

"I'm bored." Said Matt after opening his fifteenth can.

"Not many left, we're over half way through." Replied Pope.

"What was your job before the attack?"

"I didn't really have a proper job, I didn't do well at school."

"How did you buy food?" Asked Matt.

"I had my ways, you don't need to know about them. When we defeat these aliens the world won't be anything like it was before."

"I wanted to be a vet when I was older. Now there probably isn't anyone to teach me it."

"I'm sure out of all the survivors, one will be a vet." Pope smiled. He didn't know what it was about Matt but he turned soft when he was dealing with him.

"I hope so." Said Matt squeezing yet another can to drain the brine.

"If not, you could always become a History teacher, your dad knows enough to make that happen for you."

"I don't want to be a teacher, the naughty children would never behave for me." Replied Matt.

"Just tell them you'll kill their parents in the night if they don't be quiet." Matt's head snapped up to look at Pope with alarm on his face. "I'm just messing kid." Pope quickly saved himself.

"Animals don't talk back." Said Matt.

"Amen to that," said Pope as he drained his last can. "I'll just go get the pasta." Said Pope as he left the kitchen. As he was leaving Ben entered.

"Matt, want to come and play outside with me?" Ben asked.

"I'm good in here, I might come out later." Replied Matt.

"Dad said you weren't meant to hang out with Pope." Said Ben grabbing Matt's arm.

"Dad's not here so it doesn't matter." Said Matt pulling his arm free from Ben's grip.

"If you come outside with me now I won't tell him you've been hanging out with him, if you don't I'll tell him when he gets back."

"I'm staying here." Said Matt standing his ground. Pope came back in the room and saw Ben with his face in Matt's.

"What's going on here?" He asked.

"My brother isn't aloud to hang out with you." Said Ben.

"He is free to leave if he wants." He said looking to Matt who stayed where he was.

"Fine, get in trouble with dad." Ben said to Matt as he left.

"Time to boil the pasta, want to hear my spectacular way of making it?"

"Sure," replied Matt. Pope leaned in and whispered his secret to Matt. "That's it? You do that and it makes it better by a lot?"

"Sure does." Said Pope filling a pan with water. They finished making the meal and some of the civilians served it to everyone and Pope went to eat his in private. Matt wanted to save his until his dad came back so he could eat with him. Matt was sat on his bed looking at a photo that he had of his mum.

"I'm sorry about earlier," said Ben as he entered the room. Matt looked up to show he'd heard but was soon back looking at the picture of his mum. "Pope isn't a good guy, you're young and he's cool to you but you don't want to be hanging around with him."

"He's nice to me."

"He may be nice to you, but he isn't to anyone else."

"So, may be no one else is nice to him, did you think of that." Matt said standing up getting agitated.

"He-"

"He looks after me when dad isn't here. Dad is always out on missions and I'm always stuck here like a baby. Pope doesn't treat me like I'm four." Matt shouted at the younger of his older brothers.

"Matt calm down." Said Ben standing up and moving closer to Matt.

"Stay away from me." Shouted Matt, he ran to leave the room. He was headed for the door when his dad came round the corner.

"What's going on in here?" His dad asked. Matt ran past him and turned left and ran as quick as he could down the corridor. "Matt, come back here please." Shouted Tom but Matt didn't answer. Tom turned to Ben and leaned against the doorframe. "What's wrong with Matt?

"I don't think he's handling any of this as well as we thought." Said Ben. His dad looked exhausted.

"I'll go find him." Said Tom heading off down where Matt had ran.

Mat had found Pope in one of the smaller rooms that he had to himself.

"Kid, you're cool but I don't want to hang out with you right now." Said Pope pointing to the door implying for Matt to leave.

"I want to stay with you for a bit." Pope looked into Matt's eyes and could see he was upset.

"What's happened?" He asked.

"It's none of your business." Said Tom appearing in the doorway.

"The kids upset, I was only asking." Said Pope rising to his feet.

"I'm his dad so I'll deal with him." Said Tom.

"You're never here, your only my dad when it suites you." Said Matt in a raised voice that wasn't a shout. Matt tried to push past his dad but he dad grabbed his arm.

"You stay away from by son." Tom said to Pope.

"The kid adores you, anyone can see that. He just wants you around." Tom left the room dragging Matt with him but not in an abrupt way but because Matt would run off if he let go. He found a room that was not been used and shut himself and Matt in there. He said down in front of the door so Matt wouldn't be able to make a quick escape. He let go of Matt's arm but Matt didn't run away but leaned into his dad. Tom put his arms around his son and held him for as long as he needed.

"I'm always your dad and if I could stay here then I would."

"You can stay can't you? They've got enough fighters." Mumbled Matt.

"On your birthday you wished that everything would go back to normal, like it was before the attack. Every time I am out fighting I think of your wish. Every time I am scared because I see one of _them_ I think of your wish. I want to be out there fighting _them_ because I want to do everything possible to make your wish come true. I know I can't bring your mum back but if I can get most things back to normal that'll be enough won't it?"

"Yes." Said Matt squeezing his dad tighter.

"Just remember when I'm out there I'm doing it for you, Ben and Hal and no one else."

"I'm sorry dad."

"It's okay, we'll make a deal. Every time I come back from out there I will spend some alone time with just you. It'll be our special time. Deal?"

"Deal." Smiled Matt.


End file.
